MetroJet Flight 2710
Encyclopedia
MetroJet
Flight 2710 was a regularly scheduled flight from Orlando International Airport
in Orlando, Florida
to Bradley International Airport
near Hartford, Connecticut
. On February 23, 1999 the flight experienced uncommanded rudder movement and rolled to the right while flying over Maryland at 33,000 feet. The flight crew successfully landed the aircraft at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
in Maryland
. This incident is similar to other Boeing 737 rudder incidents
, but in this case the rudder moved slowly to its blowdown limit in contrast to the sudden hardovers experienced by United Airlines Flight 585
and USAir Flight 427
.
, the Boeing 737-2B7
experienced an unintended wheel deflection while on autopilot and cruising at about 260 knots.
The pilots noticed the control wheel turn to the left, and quickly realized that the autopilot was turning the wheel to counteract rudder movement despite the rudder pedals having not been touched. The first officer discovered that the pedals were displaced to the right, so he disengaged the autopilot and pushed the left pedal to return the rudder to the center position. The pedals did not respond and seemed to be jammed. The pilots immediately followed an emergency procedure that had been created after the crash of USAir Flight 427
. They disengaged the yaw damper and activated a standby rudder system that utilizes a backup hydraulic valve; the rudder pedals then moved back to center. After declaring an emergency and informing the passengers of the flight control problem, the pilots diverted the aircraft to Baltimore
and landed without incident at 11:30 a.m.
indicated that the rudder moved slowly to its blowdown limit. Examinations of the rudder system did not reveal evidence of a servo valve failure or jam or any other malfunction that would explain the sudden rudder hardover. http://cryptome.sabotage.org/faa111899.txt A final report on what caused the incident has not been released.
MetroJet
MetroJet was a no-frills "airline within an airline" brand operated as a division of US Airways from 1998 to 2001.-History:After the conclusion of painstaking labor negotiations in 1997, US Airways sought to head off burgeoning competition from low-cost carriers in its strongest region, the U.S....
Flight 2710 was a regularly scheduled flight from Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
to Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
near Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. On February 23, 1999 the flight experienced uncommanded rudder movement and rolled to the right while flying over Maryland at 33,000 feet. The flight crew successfully landed the aircraft at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is an international airport serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area in the United States. It is commonly called BWI, BWI Airport or BWI Marshall, BWI being an initialism for "Baltimore/Washington International" and the...
in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. This incident is similar to other Boeing 737 rudder incidents
Boeing 737 rudder issues
Starting in 1991, a number of accidents and incidents involving the Boeing 737 were the result of the airplanes' unexpected movement of their rudders. The rudder is controlled by the Power Control Unit . Inside the PCU is a dual servo valve which helps direct hydraulic fluid in order to move the...
, but in this case the rudder moved slowly to its blowdown limit in contrast to the sudden hardovers experienced by United Airlines Flight 585
United Airlines Flight 585
United Airlines Flight 585 was a scheduled domestic passenger airline flight from the now-decommissioned Stapleton International Airport in Denver to Colorado Springs Municipal Airport in Colorado Springs, Colorado....
and USAir Flight 427
USAir Flight 427
US Air Flight 427 was a scheduled flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Pittsburgh, with a final destination of West Palm Beach, Florida...
.
Incident
At approximately 11:15 a.m., while flying over Salisbury, MarylandSalisbury, Maryland
-Demographics:Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Salisbury metropolitan area and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area , which had a combined population of 176,657 at the 2010 census.As of the census of 2000, there were...
, the Boeing 737-2B7
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
experienced an unintended wheel deflection while on autopilot and cruising at about 260 knots.
The pilots noticed the control wheel turn to the left, and quickly realized that the autopilot was turning the wheel to counteract rudder movement despite the rudder pedals having not been touched. The first officer discovered that the pedals were displaced to the right, so he disengaged the autopilot and pushed the left pedal to return the rudder to the center position. The pedals did not respond and seemed to be jammed. The pilots immediately followed an emergency procedure that had been created after the crash of USAir Flight 427
USAir Flight 427
US Air Flight 427 was a scheduled flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Pittsburgh, with a final destination of West Palm Beach, Florida...
. They disengaged the yaw damper and activated a standby rudder system that utilizes a backup hydraulic valve; the rudder pedals then moved back to center. After declaring an emergency and informing the passengers of the flight control problem, the pilots diverted the aircraft to Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and landed without incident at 11:30 a.m.
Investigation
Preliminary results of kinematic analysis and computer simulations using data from the flight data recorderFlight data recorder
A flight data recorder is an electronic device employed to record any instructions sent to any electronic systems on an aircraft. It is a device used to record specific aircraft performance parameters...
indicated that the rudder moved slowly to its blowdown limit. Examinations of the rudder system did not reveal evidence of a servo valve failure or jam or any other malfunction that would explain the sudden rudder hardover. http://cryptome.sabotage.org/faa111899.txt A final report on what caused the incident has not been released.
See also
- Boeing 737 rudder issuesBoeing 737 rudder issuesStarting in 1991, a number of accidents and incidents involving the Boeing 737 were the result of the airplanes' unexpected movement of their rudders. The rudder is controlled by the Power Control Unit . Inside the PCU is a dual servo valve which helps direct hydraulic fluid in order to move the...
- Eastwind Airlines Flight 517Eastwind Airlines Flight 517Eastwind Airlines Flight 517 was a scheduled flight from Trenton-Mercer Airport in Trenton, New Jersey to Richmond International Airport in Richmond, Virginia. The crew lost rudder control but successfully landed on June 9, 1996. No casualties occurred and one flight attendant suffered only minor...
- United Airlines Flight 585United Airlines Flight 585United Airlines Flight 585 was a scheduled domestic passenger airline flight from the now-decommissioned Stapleton International Airport in Denver to Colorado Springs Municipal Airport in Colorado Springs, Colorado....
- USAir Flight 427USAir Flight 427US Air Flight 427 was a scheduled flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Pittsburgh, with a final destination of West Palm Beach, Florida...